Samsung Galaxy S21 FE launch may have been canceled
Adam Molina / Android Authority
TL; DR
- Samsung reportedly canceled the launch of the Galaxy S21 FE.
- The lack of chipsets and the strong performance of the newly released phones are reportedly part of the decision.
- It is now unclear whether the Galaxy S21 FE will even debut.
Samsung launched the Galaxy S20 FE in September 2020, offering consumers a cheaper entry into the company’s flagship series. However, the phone may not be followed up this year. Samsung has now reportedly canceled the launch of the Galaxy S21 FE.
Per a DDaily Report, citing a Samsung representative, the company organized an event in mid-October to host the Galaxy S21 FE debut. More importantly, Samsung is also reportedly “reviewing the launch of the smartphone itself,” suggesting the smartphone may not make it to the market at all.
The report adds that the global chipset shortage with a further decrease in available flagship silicon is the main reason for the delay. The Galaxy S21 FE was supposed to use the Snapdragon 888, a chipset it would share with the Galaxy Z Flip 3, Galaxy Z Fold 3, and its other Galaxy S21 siblings. As a result, Samsung is hedging its bets on its new foldable phones instead of the affordable flagship.
No hint, no new FE?
This wouldn’t be the first time Samsung has sacrificed bringing one device to the market for another. It made the decision not to launch a Galaxy Note phone this year to push consumers towards the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy S21 Ultra. The launch of a Galaxy S21 FE this year could further dilute its lineup and deprive more premium phones of chipsets. It could also detract from the Galaxy S22 series, which could hit the market again early next year.
It is important to note that Samsung has not yet officially confirmed the cancellation of the Galaxy S21 FE. This new report comes just days after another that indicated Samsung is resuming mass production of the device. Samsung could still decide to launch the Galaxy S21 FE and limit it to selected markets. We’ll have to wait and see how the company does this.
